Unreached People Group

Acts 1:8

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

I serve in a Southern Baptist Church and every year we take up a Lottie Moon Christmas offering for foreign missionaries and An Annie Armstrong Easter offering for North American missionaries.  Every year we see videos and hear stories about men and women going into all kinds of areas to reach people with the Gospel.  We often hear phrases like reaching “unreached people groups”.  The term is used when the Gospel has reached less than 2% of the population.  

I am a missionary to an unreached people group.  I am family pastor currently serving in James Island SC.   On this island drugs, apathy and sexuality overrun the youth culture.  There are 2600 teens in JI public schools.  An unscientific survey of churches showed that less than 150 students are actively involved in church.  Now if you did your math you see that is 5.7%.  I did not include in the equation the schools on Johns Island and the private school, home school and the dropouts.  However, even at 5.7% it is beyond alarming. 

So, JIBC has hired me as a missionary…a missionary to an unreached people group.  We must approach this group as any missionary would…on purpose and with passion.

The International Mission Board uses the following strategy for their EMBRACE UPG Initiative.  We are taking the same approach. (1)

1) Study their culture – we recognize that adolescent culture changes and we must be aware of trends and needs.

2) Identify their language – I know it is hard to understand but teenagers do communicate.  We choose to listen to them and hear their hearts in their heart-language, which includes social media, music and the arts.

3) Identify their religion(s) – We identify what they worship…on the island it is sex, rampant drug use and the beach.

4) Discover cultural landmines that need to be avoided for long-term effectiveness – We must reveal a righteous God without appearing self – righteous. 

5) Identify barriers to their understanding the Gospel

6) Discover where they live – go where they are and not expect them to come to us.  Be involved on school campuses, neighborhoods, hangouts etc.

I am proud to support our denominations emphasis for International and North American missions…however we as churches need to do an evaluation of our own backyard…look around, you may have an unreached people group right under your nose.

 

(1)    http://www.imb.org/main/lead/embracedefault.asp?StoryID=9651&LanguageID=1709